JAA's Interweb Links

Web-sites are supposed to have a 'links page'. Apparently.

There is a fine line between reciprocal links inserted purely to convince the crawler 'bots of the world that one's website is a 'good resource of its type' and those just providing links to stuff one likes in the broad interests of the casual reader.

You would be surprised how many rum emails I get promising me instant business and suggesting it would be nice if we linked to each other. That many of these are selling products that I would never endorse, and in many instances have heaped vitriol on, suggests that the senders are either 'machines' or 'wildly optimistic' or, with the worrying march of technology, 'both'. As for those missives insisting that with the right arcane tweaks, provided for a small fee, my site would reach so many more customers... In addition, others may care to note, I am well served in respect of a wife and have no need of pharmaceutical encouragement.

I keep firmly to the right side of this line; if it amuses me or I like it, it will be on this page somewhere. If it does not, then it never will.

How can you not like perch bobbers? ?(and back to the top of the page)

How can you not like perch bobbers...?

How can you not like perch bobbers...?

How can you not like perch bobbers...?

How can you not like perch bobbers...?

How can you not like perch bobbers...?

How can you not like perch bobbers...?

How can you not like perch bobbers...?

'Blogs and Forums

These are displayed in the reverse date order of their addition to the site - so newest at the top...

The Avon DiaryThe Fabulous Avon Diary This quite wonderful record of a stretch of the Avon at Somerley is well worth dipping into on a regular basis. It's nicely recorded and focuses on the subjects themselves: fishing, the environment, the water meadows and their other denizens. Give it a go.

Just got a bit of a cold, that's all... Well worth a read is CarpspottingThe New Confessions of a Carp Fisher - I was put onto this gem by The Scottish Correspondent, one similarly Soulhooked and after a read through, find that I can at last admit the truth. I'm a recovering carp addict, I can give it up any time I want, I can handle it, I'm just a bit tired that's all. Obviously, 'recovering' is a subjective term. Nice work Greg.

Hugh Miles - Wildlife AdventuresHugh Miles - Wildlife Adventures: Hugh Miles is a British filmmaker who specialises in wildlife films. An award-winning cinematographer, Hugh likes to be involved in as many aspects of the filmmaking process as possible, even appearing in front of the camera to help the audience get closer to the experience of actually being out on location.

His blog is always beautifully shot and is well worth a visit at any time.

The Tuesday SwimA dog dangling kinda day to go fishing... is a place, a moment, a thought, that sometimes exists but on occasions may just emerge from the imagination. The Tuesday Swim uses fundamental tackle that gives pleasure in its simplicity in the pursuit of touching nature, encapsulating everything that is important and dismisses all that is trivial. The Tuesday Swim is a constant state of discovery.

The Path by the WaterThe forum has reopenedforum was founded in July 2011 to provide a temporary home to the dispossessed of 'Pure Piscator' among others and still potters along. The site is run by 'JAA', webmaster, watchman and adjuster of technical things. "TPBTW" is a cyber-space shed with kettle, for like-minded anglers who place as much emphasis (well almost) on the type of biscuit or cake as they do the rod, reel or bait. It's much less about tackle and rigs and much more about ethos.

There is a smattering of 'traditional' tackle here, but we are not a "traditionalist re-enactment group". For the most part, it doesn't matter what your fishing rod is made of or what reel you use. We do care about your fishing exploits, your fettling and anything vaguely fishing related. Or even things that are not fishing related, 'beyond the rabbit-proof fence' as it were.

We like meandering threads. "A good web discussion should be like a good pub chat - beginning with a notion, weaving back and forth into the proposition at regular intervals but going off like a specimen fish played on light tackle, with a thumb on the reel and the expectation it will be netted in the end (mixing metaphors along the way of course)." - 'Gluey'

The name is borrowed from the A. R. B. Haldane's account of his early days of trout fishing as a boy in the Ochil hills and then onto trout waters in Argyll and the water meadows of Hampshire. It's an evocative and wonderful account, all fishermen should read this and dream.

The Forum Moved Home in early 2020, leaving its original URL behind. This was to consolidate server space and reduce the running costs; otherwise the place is unchanged, as is the commitment to keeping it 'live' as long as anyone is posting.

The Crucian Website. The website of Peter Rolfe (A.K.A. "The Crucian Crusader") who thought it was high time that the crucian had a website of its own. The idea is to provide a database of information and to gather together ideas and experiences to try to build up a really reliable resource for anglers, naturalists, conservationists, scientists, land-owners, fish farmers and dealers - in fact anyone who's interested in the species.

JAA is privileged to be Peter Rolfe's webmaster.

Fish Legal (formerly the ACA) is a unique, non-profit making organisation set up to use the law to fight pollution and other damage to the water environment - both freshwater and marine - and to protect the rights of anglers and angling.

They act for fishing clubs, fishery owners, syndicates, commercial fisheries across the whole of the UK. In England only, they are the legal arm of the Angling Trust. They act independently in the rest of the UK.

Water pollution, over-abstraction, commercial fisheries, fish-farming and other activities can all cause huge impacts on aquatic ecosystems, wild fisheries and angling. Fish Legal aims to stop this damage happening and fights for compensation for their members when it does.

The Angling Trust. The Angling Trust is the new, single organisation to represent all game, coarse and sea anglers and angling in England. The formation of Angling Trust brings with it a positive new future for angling. For the first time ever, there is a single body to take cohesive action to solve all the problems that affect our sport.

So join...

I have a dream in which all the anglers of the country join the Angling Trust, making it the most powerful and well funded lobby group in the country. It turns out that 'herding cats' is easier than getting most fishermen to make any sacrifice for the greater good. Ah well.

The Environment Agency. Where you get your Rod Licence. And you can get it online now...so do get one. It really is a bargain. If only the EA would get off their botties and prosecute polluters instead of leaving Fish Legal to clean up in their wake.

A bunch of hooks found in my pike box...(and back to the top of the page)

A bunch of hooks found in my pike box

A bunch of hooks found in my pike box

A bunch of hooks found in my pike box

Other Sites with Stuff I Like

The Fine Art of Fishing is a collection of Limited Edition Fine Art prints of illustrations & photography by Robert Olsen. Simply stunning stuff, you must go and look.

L'etang de La Morinais does not claim to have several tons of pellet reliant carp crammed into a surface area of water, where fish health issues remain a real risk. There are around 160 carp from double figures through to forty pounds. The first thirty was landed in 2006, the first forty in 2007, with forties now being caught regularly.

JAA personally endorses its fine fish, atmosphere, location and hospitality, and has been five times...so far.

The Grayling Society...was formed in 1977 by a small group of enthusiastic game fishermen who wished to conserve and establish the grayling as a true, wild, game fish. It's hard to put it any better than that.

"No other publisher in the UK offers angling books of such consistent literary class or aesthetic excellence." - Barbel Fisher.

Medlar's fishing books include some of the great classics of angling literature but also many books from contemporary authors - works of historical or biological research, and literary works deserving of a wide audience. There is a good search facility on their site so whatever you wish to find, whether it be an author, title or simply a fish species, you should be directed quickly to the books that fit your criteria.

"About as much use to a match angler as a chocolate teapot" Nobby Budd
"The best angling magazine since I was a lad" Izaak Walton

Talisker Whisky. I like most whisky, but I have a soft spot for Talisker, possible due to the newly wed Anotheranglers' visit, heads heavy with cold, being started with a large one popped into your hand as you pass through the door. Now that's marketing. It's not a bad cold cure either.

The Ten Year old is peaty, smoky with a hint of the sea and a sip takes me straight back to the shores of Loch Harport in 1994. It's probably sacrilege but a tot in a flask of Ceylon, brightens those colourless winter days by the waterside. And a large one with a spot of hot water is perfect for the head-cold of Mrs AA. Despite herself professing no love of whisky, my bottle always seems to evaporate through the cork if I am away from home...

YouTube Channels and Videos

Various YouTube videos I am fond of and some YouTube Channels I quite like. These are displayed in the reverse date order of their addition to the site - so newest at the top.

Restoration at Barton Court Estate trout fishery. Lovely little video about the start of the Kennet restoration project at Barton Court Estate. Work is under way to create a habitat that promotes a healthy head of wild trout, as well as creating a diverse and varied fishery for anglers.

Catching Small Bass in a Tiny Spillway. Fishing 618 is well worth a watch. Although possibly at odds with UK techniques, the enthusiasm is infectious, the editing is nicely done, the soundtracks are well chosen and played at a 'background' volume. Plus, there is a fascinating array of fish and where else do you see folk catching turtles by mistake and having to avoid snakes?

In his own words: Fishing the ponds, lakes, rivers, and creeks from the midwest and beyond! You will find videos featuring gear from the lightest of ultra light to the heaviest of heavy. This channel is dedicated to fishing purely for the fun and excitement of fishing! Enjoy!"

Carp Fly Fishing from Korea. I could watch this guy cast for hours. Wonderful.

crucian...(and back to the top of the page)

Carassius Carassius

Crucial crucian

Carassius Carassius

crucian

Carassius Carassius

Crucial crucian

crucian

Carassius Carassius

Crucial crucian

Crucial crucian

crucian

Carassius Carassius

Crucial crucian

All of the Pages on the Site. Kind of a Site-Map.

A secret. Most of these pages do not really exist (as such). The site has been morphed into a large number of single entries, which are called by a 'page' using various 'engines'. In short I created a bespoke 'php' database. "Why?" I hear you ask. As someone I once worked with said; "For funsies". To be fair, the same person non-trivially injured themselves 'tombstoning' off Portland Bill, for the same reason.

Still; what this means in practise, is that I can create pages that list every entry on the basis of it containing one or more attributes. E.g. "Luckfield Lake". Or "Luckfield Lake" AND "Chapman 550". So a particular year, venue, type of venue, species of fish caught, what rod or reel and so on. I could create a page solely for those times I used cockles as bait and caught two tench (exactly) using my Old Carp Rod. I could, I have just no idea why I might want to. I can see myself creating a page which lists fishing rods, the number of times they have been used and the last recorded use. That might help me with the "Not used for two years? Then out it goes..." policy.